Toku Hikaru
Toku Hikaru was a courtier of the Monkey Clan and the second Imperial Chancellor under Empress Iweko I. Imperial Chancellor Hikaru, whose mother had always told him he was a dour, pessimistic child, The New Order, Part 1, by Shawn Carman was appointed as the Imperial Chancellor in 1195. Even after three years in the post, the succession of papers still seemed endless for him. Chosen of the Emperor, by Shawn Carman Colonies The Empire extended his grip over the Ruined Kingdoms and established its capital in the colonies in the Second City. Ikoma Katsuru was appointed as the Imperial Governor of the Colonies, and control of the city was granted to the Lion Clan. The Hand of the Empress, by Shawn Carman Dark Naga In 1198 members of the Great Clans with ties to the Naga race were being targeted by an unknown foe. The Emerald Magistrate Doji Hakuseki, was appointed by the Empress as the Imperial investigator. The Imperial Herald arrived and told Katsuru had been killed by a creature which infiltrated in his chambers. Rulebook story (Forgotten Legacy), by Shawn Carman and Rusty Priske Iweko appointed Otomo Suikihime as his succesor. Imperial Court In Toshi Ranbo, he was one of the only member of his rank to use the offices provided to him in the Imperial Court on a regular basis. In terms of Court agenda, the Scorpion Courtier Shosuro Tanzaki said that the fact that he allowed Great Clans to express their frustration in Court led to the prevention of the exacerbation of military conflicts between Lion and Unicorn, and Mantis and Crane, even if Toku Hikaro finds these issues tiresome and would prefer to hear about Colonies reports. Chosen of the Emperor, by Shawn Carman P'an Ku's Madness In 1199 the Heart of Fudo, a nemuranai which contained a portion of the mad dragon P'an Ku, was presented to the Imperial Court. Asahina Nanae reported that one of her magistrates, Tamori Yayu, would study it, to understand how to stop its influence, or communicate with it. The Imperial Advisor Moru was outraged by the Jade Champion's proposal, and blamed her for the newly revealed dealings of the Asahina with the Fudoist. The Master of Air Isawa Mitsuko revealed her presence, and alongside Nanae performed a ritual to diminish the effects of the Heart upon those in attendance. Moru's outburst was a side effect of the Heart. Mitsuko advised to take the Heart immediately to the Second City, as the way to deal with P'an Ku's madness. Gates of Chaos, Part 3, by Seth Mason A Matter of Honor Kitsu Kanae blamed the Crab for the appearance of an oni of the Shadowlands, Minikui no Oni, within the Lion lands. Jekku stepped in to defend her clan's honor, which had been deliberately insulted by the Lion. Later this year it was eventually exposed that a corrupted shugenja descendant of the defunct Shimizu family had summoned the Oni. A Matter of Honor (Story) Renewed Treaty with the Naga Hikaru, the Imperial Advisor Yasuki Makoto, and the the Voice of the Empress Hida Kozan, gave audience to the Zenathaar, the Warrior of the Bright Eye and leader of the Naga race. The departure from Rokugan of the Dark Naga, who bore the soul of the mad Naga Shahismael, had freed the akasha from its terrible influence. In response, one thousand of the Naga awakened from their Great Sleep. The Zenathaar renewed the bonds of aid and cooperation between the Empire and the Naga race. The Siminoth, a Naga male, who was called the witness because he had remembered and witnessed all events of importance since the Naga entered in the Great Sleep, was appointed as the Naga liaison to the Empire. Siege: The Heart of Darknes, by Shawn Carman Lion Request of Waging War on the Scorpion In 1199 the Lion Clan made allegations of Scorpion smuggling and also about the ambush of a Lion patrol in the highways near the Imperial City, which were dismissed as untrue by the Scorpion representative Bayushi Fuyuko. Doji Natsuyo, Kitsuki Kira and Isawa Kido all sought to avoid unnecessary bloodshed, but it was expected the Empress would grant the Lion permission to wage war against the Scorpion. A Line in the Sand, Part 1, by Shawn Carman Empress Seclusion Hida Kozan announced that the Empress would not be in attendance at Winter Court this season, but remained in seclusion, considering the matter of her successor. She left an Imperial Regent occupying the Imperial Throne, Utaku Zo Sia, who had the appearance of a child, and it was said that she never aged. Witness, by C. Thomas Hand The Empress eventually emerged from her seclusion and announced the next Emperor would be her elder son, Iweko Seiken. The Ascendant Son, by Shawn Carman War on the Empire During the festivals predating Iweko Seiken's coronation, the Imperial Heir had publicly humiliated Daigotsu Kanpeki by announcing that he would remove him as Spider Clan Champion. Seiken's brother, Iweko Shibatsu would join the Susumu family as their daimyo and become Lord Spider. Kanpeki considered this as betrayal of the deal between his father and Iweko I and declared war on the Empire. Thunderous Acclaim, Part 1, by Shawn Carman & Christopher Hand Category:Monkey Clan Members